Cooking a feast without the flames

Thanksgiving means lots of cooking for many of us, but firefighters said the holidays are the busiest days of the year for cooking fires.

That's why fire officials want to remind you; if you plan to fry your turkey this year, be very cautious.

Always use your fryer outside but never on a deck, and keep it at least 10 feet away from your home, trees, and other combustibles.

Another helpful tip is to go by the guidelines when it comes to pouring in the oil and never over fill your fryer.

"When you put the turkey in, the oils run over the edge and then catch on fire. Also, you have a lot of the time turkeys not being thawed completely, which causes the oil to boil and overflow," said Lt. Alan Howard with the Bristol, Tennessee Fire Department.

We're told about half of all fires that happened in Bristol, Tennessee this year have been cooking fires. So this Thanksgiving, be mindful about using your timer, keeping oven mitts and rags away from your stoves, and make sure your smoke detectors are working.